After clinching second in the GTP class at the Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA), BMW M Team RLL again enjoyed podium celebrations at Long Beach (USA).

Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) repeated their Sebring success, finishing second again in the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 in the first sprint race of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series).

Their team-mates Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Philipp Eng (AUT) crossed the line in fourth in the #24 car, completing the team’s season-best effort in only their third race with the all-new BMW M Hybrid V8.

The temporary Long Beach street circuit hosted the shortest race of the season, with a duration of 100 minutes.

The race’s first hour was only slowed by one caution, following an incident on the opening lap, lasting for the first ten minutes of the race. Both BMW M Hybrid V8 machines had a turn in the lead before pitting.

Yelloly stopped the #25 car on lap 33 to hand off to De Phillippi. Two laps later, Farfus pitted the #24 car and Eng took over in the cockpit. An error when fighting for second place sent De Phillippi into a runoff area on lap 58 and back to fourth, but he climbed back to third, setting the race’s fast lap (1:11.503 minutes), and ultimately propelling himself and the BMW M Hybrid V8 to second at the chequered flag.

Eng improved to fourth, and those were their positions when the race ended under caution.

Meanwhile in the GTD class, BMW M Motorsport team Paul Miller Racing secured their second consecutive win with the #1 BMW M4 GT3 driven by Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow (both USA).

Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher (both USA) finished eighth in the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3. The #97 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 of Bill Auberlen and Chandler Hull (both USA) finished 11th.